1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to particle collectors and in particular to particle collectors having a multi-layer construction. More particularly, this invention relates to a multi-layer particle assembly for collecting various types of dust, dirt and other debris, such as those used in vacuum cleaners.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nearly all particle collectors such as those used in vacuum cleaners and other disposal systems using bags, both where the bag is a mere container and those where the bag includes a filtering body, use single bags. There have been some suggestions for the use of multi-layer particle collectors for use in a few different fields. The previously proposed multi-layer particle collectors tend to include a polymer material, such as polyethylene, and would be individually manufactured to a particular thickness depending on the intended use.
One of the applications of multi-layer particle collectors is for waste disposal. Disposable garbage bags are well known and are almost always used one at a time. There have been suggestions of garbage assemblies having a multi-layer construction to prevent tearing the garbage bag when filled with garbage. There are suggestions for the use of a multi-layer bag for repeated use for disposing of garbage. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,231, 5,363,980, 6,102,239, 6,808,073 and U.S. Publication No. 2004/0223664 all pertain to multi-layer bag configuration with nested disposable bags. These multi-layer bags fit within various typical garbage cans. After a nested disposable bag is full of garbage, a user removes the nested disposable bag to reveal another empty disposable bag ready for use. However, these bags are collectors of goods, and do not act as filters of particles entrained in flowing air.
Another suggestion is the use of multi-layer particle collectors as filter layer bags. It has been proposed to use multiple filters for removing various types of debris from the air, water, etc. Use of a filter within another filter will allegedly increase the efficiency of the filter system by catching any debris that may pass through the first filter. As the air, water, etc. passes through each subsequent filter, the air, water, etc. allegedly becomes cleaner by removing any debris that may have been in the air, water, etc. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,140,726, 1,986,016, 3,443,366, 5,192,424 and 5,417,855 disclose use of multiple filter bags for various filter applications. The filters may be nested one inside the other. However, these patents do not teach multi-layer assemblies where the innermost bag is easily detached and discarded when its surface is full of particles.
Multi-layer particle collectors have been proposed for the vacuum industry, although none having tear-away bags are believed to exist or to have even been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,802 discloses a multi-compartment vacuum cleaner filter bag which includes a filter bag located within another filter bag to provide maximum filtration when used with a vacuum cleaner. U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,386 teaches an air-permeable jacket which houses a paper filter bag and a safety filter to protect against dirt entering the air permeable jacket. U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,233 discloses a disposable vacuum cleaner bag with a freshening liner to freshen the air that passes through vacuum cleaner bag. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,240,812 and 4,311,493 pertain to a vacuum clean outermost bag having an inside pocket to store spare filter bags. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,908 discloses a vacuum clean filter bag having multiple, nested innermost bags and an outer bag for sequentially filtering a discharge from a vacuum cleaner. Each of the innermost bags is said to rupture when full with debris, in a manner to allow the debris to bypass the ruptured bag and enter into the next bag. However, each bag is not the same size and is not separately removable when full as disclosed in the present claimed invention.
There exists a need for a simple cost-effective multi-layer particle collector which can be used to allow a user to separately remove a single particle collector when filled with debris and dispose of such layer collector, exposing another particle collector in the use position. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.